Kidneys are bean-shaped organs positioned behind and beneath the rib cage. Even though most individuals have two healthy kidneys, they can function normally on only one. Its functions include getting rid of toxins and cleansing the body of harmful substances by eliminating waste via the urinary tract.
Renal failure, often known as kidney failure, occurs when one of the kidneys stops working properly. Some cases of kidney failure are short-lived and appear suddenly. Sometimes it’s a gradual deterioration of a preexisting chronic illness. Kidney failure is the end stage of renal disease. Without medical intervention, death is inevitable. Kidney failure patients have little chance of survival without medical intervention within days to weeks.
Hypertension and diabetes are the two leading causes of kidney failure. However, other illnesses and physical trauma can also cause it. The estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR, is used to classify renal disease into five stages. It is a gradual process with a steady decline in renal function. Renal failure is the first symptom for some individuals with kidney disease. However, in most cases, the onset of symptoms occurs late during a kidney disease, or there are no symptoms until it reaches kidney failure.
High Blood Pressure
Hypertension ranks high among the many risk factors for developing kidney failure. Kidney disease may occur if the blood arteries supplying the organ are compromised. As a result, vital organs like the kidneys may not get as much blood as they need. Additionally, the kidneys’ microscopic filtration units are damaged by high blood pressure. This may cause the kidneys to cease filtering the blood of toxins and excess fluid, leading to the acceleration of renal failure. Furthermore, increased blood pressure might result from accumulating this excess fluid in the blood vessels. This increases the risk of renal disease progression and cardiovascular complications.
The kidneys are essential in maintaining normal blood pressure. Impaired kidneys mean that normal blood pressure is not induced in the body. Most cases of chronic kidney disease may be traced back to hypertension. There is a correlation between high blood pressure and kidney failure, with more than 50 percent of those affected having hypertension. On top of that, symptoms of hypertension are uncommon. This is why some refer to it as a “silent killer.”
When left untreated, it may cause permanent damage to the body’s arteries. To help manage kidney failure, patients must strictly maintain blood pressure below 130/80.
